"Really pleased that he stays" - Pep Guardiola confirms Manchester City star will not leave this summer amid Saudi Arabian League interest 

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Ederson will not leave the club this summer despite interest from Saudi Arabia. The Brazil international has been heavily linked with an exit from the Etihad throughout the summer, with Saudi Arabian sides targetting his signature.

Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad were strongly linked with the 30-year-old who has played an integral role in Manchester City's success under Pep Guardiola. The Spanish tactician has now come up with a big statement regarding his goalkeeper's future.

Guardiola insisted both Ederson and Stefan Ortega will be staying at the Etihad next season. He also highlighted how crucial the Brazilian shot-stopper has been in City's success over the years.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager also claimed that Ederson's departure would have made life incredibly difficult for him. The Manchester City manager was quoted as saying by Sky Sports:

"It's a huge relief that Ederson and [Stefan] Ortega are staying. We couldn't have gone through this unbelievable eight-year process without Ederson. Impossible. His charisma. His consistency. To replace the goalkeeper is tricky in the way that we play, so I'm really pleased he stays. He will start [against Manchester United]."

Ederson joined Manchester City from Benfica in a deal worth a reported £35 million in 2017. He became the second-most-expensive goalkeeper of all time at the time and is currently fifth on the list.

Famed for his incredible ability on the ball, Ederson is a modern-day sweeper-keeper who has been crucial in Pep Guardiola's system. He has won six Premier League titles and one Champions League, among other honors, with the English giants. The 30-year-old has made 332 appearances across competitions for City, keeping 155 clean sheets.

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Michael Owen makes a big prediction regarding the Premier League title race involving Manchester City

Former England and Liverpool striker Michael Owen predicted an underwhelming season for Manchester City this time out. The pundit tipped Pep Guardiola's side to finish fourth next season.

Speaking to Casino Hawks, Own backed Arsenal to clinch the league title. He tipped Liverpool and Aston Villa to finish second and third, respectively, saying:

"In terms of the order [of teams' finishes], my thought process is if City are not gonna win it, they could actually drop away a little bit. It's almost like if City are not gonna be really in the race after 10 games then their priority could go elsewhere - I think there could be a big surprise this season. I'm going to go for Arsenal first, Liverpool second, Aston Villa third and Manchester City fourth."

The Premier League 2024-25 season will kick off on Friday, August 16, with Manchester United taking on Fulham.